Real David H.

This week, my Facebook memories have reminded me of many of my nine Shamrock Half Marathons. I thought perhaps by not running this year — only the second one I’ve missed in a decade — that I might miss it … but I don’t. 

Seeing the pictures reminds me of looking at photos from high school and college — there are many great moments, several forgettable ones, and ones that are just kind of foggy.

The moments from those races are fun to talk about now and likely for years to come, but just like those times from 20 years ago, I don’t have the desire to fully recreate those memories. 

This week has felt like a closure of sorts. Two years ago I swore off the race after a bad experience, but I found myself back at the start line at Virginia Beach a year later. That race was closure as my friend Travis and I ran all but the final tenth of a mile together. I now believe that our experience together was the end of a strange chapter of my running life. 

I’m at the point with running where I finally feel ready to move on to that next chapter. I still don’t know what it is, but I’m close to figuring it out.

It might mean signing up for a race I’ve done before, but didn’t feel satisfied after; it might mean something completely new; it might mean I train for something without being so public about it … I really don’t know. 

Goodbye Shamrock, for now.